A Single Fruit On London Market Will Set You Back £160

An insanely expensive fruit has gone viral on Twitter due to its rather eye-watering price tag of £160.

The photo of a jackfruit, uploaded by BBC reporter Ricardo Senra, has been shared over 100,000 times and has gone viral in Senra's home country, Brazil.

The over-the-top price tag has shocked Twitter users, with many joking they would fly to Britain to become 'multi-millionaires' by selling jackfruits.

According to the BBC, in Brazil, fresh jackfruits can be found for just $1.10 (81p), and are just as affordable in many other tropical countries. In some places, they can even be picked off trees for free and in Brazil, a huge amount of jackfruits are even left to rot in the street.

Sabrina Sartori, CEO of Estancia das Frutas, an orchard that houses 3,000 fruit species in Sao Paulo state, said that 'even in Brazil, the price of jackfruit varies', continuing that in some places it can be easily sourced for free while in others it can actually be quite expensive.

As jackfruit is unable to grow in the colder climate of the UK, it has to be imported from elsewhere - hence explaining why it can be more expensive than other fruits.

However, this isn't the only reason for these costs as the international trade of jackfruit is quite risky, experts say, due to its perishable nature, seasonality and volume.

Jackfruit is notoriously difficult to transport due to its size and packing is also difficult with its uneven shape, size and weight.

And annoyingly for consumers, there is no way to tell if the fruit is in good condition just by looking at its exterior.

Oddly, jackfruit is commonly seen as unappetising in the countries in which it grows.

In India, it's even seen as a poor man's fruit. However, the fruit has recently seen its demand soar in other countries, including the UK.

This is, in part, due to the increasing numbers of vegetarians and vegans who use the fruit as an alternative to meat - the UK alone, is estimated to have 3.5 million vegans. A number that continues to grow daily.

There is a more affordable alternative to forking out over £100 for a single fruit, you'll be pleased to know, as canned jackfruit can be found in many supermarkets for around £3. Bargain, right?

Featured Image Credit: Twitter/Alamy

Topics: Food And Drink

Isobel Pankhurst